Printing apparatus.



HT M. BORDEN. PRINTING APPARATUS.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9| I9I6- I 92%@ Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. NI. BORDEN.

PRINTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATON FILED JUNE 91 |916. 1,232,486. Patented July 10, 1917.

' l52 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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HENRY lVI. BOR-DEN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESTA.

PRINTING APPARATUS.

Application filed `Tune 9, 1916.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Hanni M. BonDnN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in printing apparatus, especially adapted for use in printing labels. To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line ma x3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail View, principally in section taken on the line mt m4' of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view with some parts in section taken on the line m5 of Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line ai@ of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in section taken on the line m7 .x7 of Fig. 5;

F Sis a detail view in section taken on the line aas x8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line w of Fig. 3; on an enlarged scale;

' and Fig. 10 is a detail view in section taken on the line L10 w10 .of Fig. 6, with certain of the parts moved in different positions.

rlhe numeral 1 indicates a rectangular base, having integrally formed therewith a rectangular housing 2. Integrally formed with the housing 2 and supported thereabove, is an annular casing 3 having an open back. The front or face of the casing 3 is also open, with the exception of an annular flange 4, a spider-bearing bracket 5 connected thereto and diametrically opposite horizontal extensions 6 and 7, which project radially inward from the flange 4. These ex- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

serial No. 102,660.

tensions G and 7 have formed therein horizontally elongated sight openings 8 and 9, respectively. Extending diametrically and horizontally across the back of the casing 3, is a bearing bar 10 detachably secured to said casing 3 by screws 11.

Journaled in the bearing bracket 5 and bar 10, co-axially with the casing 3, is a shaft 12 having on its front projecting end a knurled thumb piece 13, by which said shaft may be rotated in either direction, at will. Mounted within the casing 3, is a printing wheel 14 having a hub 15 telescoped onto the shaft 12 and secured for rotation therewith by a pin 16. The printing wheel 14 is preferably made of cast metal and is hollow with an open face. Formed in the peripheral surface of the printing wheel 14, is a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced dovetail seats 17, which extend parallel to the axis of said printing wheel.

The open face of the printing wheel 14 is closed by a sheet metal disk or plate 18, detachably secured by bolts 19 to an inwardly projecting flange 2O formed with the peripheral surface of the printing wheel. Formed in the face plate 18, is a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced radially disposed name plate holders 21. As shown, each of these holders 21 is formed by slightly depressing the plate 18 and punching therefrom longitudinal flanges 22, which are pressed outward. Cards or name plates 25 are interchangeably and removably mounted in the holders 21. Obviously, by depressing the holders 21, the name plates 28 are held against accidental endwise displacement and the flanges 22 prevent lateral movement thereof. The name plates 23 are exposed to view through the open face of the casing 3 and, under the rotation of the printing wheel 14, may be successively moved through the fields of the sight openings 8 and 9.

Removably and interchangeably mounted in the seats 1T of the printing wheel 14, is a multiplicity of type bars 24, having dove-tail interlocking engagement therewith. Each type bar 24 has type characters projecting from its outer face, which read transversely of the printing wheel 14. For each bar of type characters there is a name plate having like type characters. rl`he type bars 24 may be inserted into the seats 17 or removed therefrom by an endwise movement through an opening 25 formed in the top of the casing 3. (See Fig. 1).

integrally formed with and connecting the front and back walls of the housing 2, is a pair of horizontally spaced and vertically extended webs or guide walls 26. Loosely mounted between these guide walls 26 for radial movement toward and from the printing wheel 14, is a fiat horizontal platen 27 having a depending central stem or lug 28. Access to the platen 27 may be had through a feed opening 29 formed in the front wall of the housing 2. Normally, the platen 27 rests on the lower horizontal edge of the feed openin0- 29 and a horizontal shoulder 30 formed in the back wall of? the housing 2.

A lever 31, intermediately fulcrumed at 32 to the housing 2, is provided for lifting the platen 27 into a cooperating relation, with respect to the printing wheel 14. The inner end of the lever 31 underlies the stem 28 and operates thereon to lift the platen 27 and its outer end has integrally formed therewith a hand or finger piece 33 by which said lever is operated. The outer end portion of the lever 31 works through a vertically extended slot 34, formed in the right hand end wall of the housing 2. When the lever 2 1 is released, the platen 27 returns to an inoperative position, under the action of gravity, and, at the same time, resets the lever 31. The inner end portion of the lever 31 works through a vertically extended slot 35, formed in the right hand guide wall 26.

Normally resting on the top of the walls 26 and spanning the opening therebetween, is a horizontal face plate 36 having an elongated opening 37, with which the type characters on an overlying type bar 24 are alined. lai-ried by and depending from the face plate 36, is a pair of wide laterally spaced label positioning arms or plates 38,

which extend parallel to the walls 26 and project through slots 39, formed in the platen 27.

The platen 27 is designed to support, upon its upper surface, a stack of labels Z adapted to be placed thereon or removed therefrom through the feed opening 29. The

. labels Z are held positioned on the platen 27 by the arms 3S against transverse movement and by the back wall of the housing 2 and apair 0f fingers 4() against. longitudinal movement. The fingers 4() are secured to and project upward from the front edge of the platen 27 and have diverging inner edges that are horizontally spaced, to afford clearance for an operators fingers in placing the labels on the platen or removing the same therefrom.

A pair of inking rollers 41 are provided for applying ink to the type characters on the bars 24. These inlring rollers 41 are located, one on each side of the platen 27, and are journaled to the front and back walls of the housing` 2. nlr is applied to the rollers 41 through openings 2, formed in the end walls of the housing 2. The inking rollers 41 may be removed from the housing V2 through these openings 2. The purpose of having two inking rollers 41 is to permit the printing wheel 14 to be rotated in either direction to carry any one Aof the type bars 24 into cooperating relation to the platen 27.

A moistening device `for the labels Z is provided and comprises a receptacle 42 and upper and lower rollers 43 and 44, respectively. The receptacle 42 is secured to the front wall of the housing 2, for holding water or other liquid Y, in which the roller 44 runs. r)The roller 43 is journaled in fixed bearings, formed in the sides of the receptacle 42, and the roller 44 is journaled in yielding bearings 45, which press the roller 44 frictionally onto the roller 48. The roller 43 is rotated by a linger piece 46 secured to the outerV end of its journal.

The type bars 24 are properly positioned, with respect to the platen 27, by a springpressed friction pin 46 seated in the bearing bar 10 and adapted to enter any one of a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced depressions 47 formed in the back face of the printing wheel 14. There is one of these depressions 47 for each type bar 24 and they are located in the same radial lines.

The operation of the above described printing apparatus may be briefly described as follows A stack of labels is firstplaced onthe platen 27 by inserting the same through the feed opening 29 and between the positioning lingers 40. It may be here stated that corresponding type bars 24 and name plates 251, having the same type characters, are located just 4.5 degrees apart. By this arrangement, when a given name plate 23 is inthe field of the sight opening 8, the corresponding type bar 24 is in printing relation, with respect to the platen 27. ln printing one of the labels Z, the printing wheel 14 is first rotated t0 bring the name plate 23, having the desired type characters, into the field of the sight opening 8. Then by pressing downward on the finger piece 33, the platen 27 is raised by the lever 31 and the uppermost label Z pressed thereby onto the respective type bar 24. During the movement of theplaten 27 toward the printing wheel 14, the face plate 36 is picked up by the stack of labels Z and carried onto the printing wheel 14. rlhe purpose 0f the face plate 36 is to prevent adjacent type bars 24 from applying ink to the label being printed. Preferably, the face plate 36 is made of very light flexible material. so that the same will bend slightly, during the printing operation.

After the printing of the label is completed, the lever 31 is released and the platen 27 Yreturns to normal position, under the action of gravity. During this movement of the platen 27, the lever 31 is reset and the face plate 36 deposited on the walls 26. The printed label is then removed from the platen and passed between moistening rolls 41-3 and L14C to dampen the gum thereon, so that the same may be stuck onto a bottle or package.

In placing a type bar and corresponding name plate in their respective holders, the name plate is preferably first positioned and then turned into the field of the sight opening 9. Vhile the printing Wheel 14 is still in this same position, the respective type bar 24C is inserted in the holder 17 at the opening 25. rIhen by rotating the printing Wheel 14 to bring the name plate into the field of the sight opening 8, the printing bar is simultaneously moved into printing position above the platen 27.

l/Vhat I claim is 1. In a printing apparatus, the combination4 with a casing7 of a printing Wheel mounted in said casing, a cooperating platen, said printing Wheel having on its peripheral surface type bar holders and having on its face radially disposed name plate holders,l

type bars and name plates interchangeably and removably mounted in their respective holders, said type bars and name plates having like type characters, and an index on the casing coperating with the name plates for positioning the type bars in printing relation with respect to the platen under the rotary movement of the printing Wheel.

2. In a printing apparatus, the combination With a casing having an open face, of a printing Wheel mounted in said casing, a cooperating platen, said printing Wheel having on its peripheral surface type bar holders and having on its face radially disposed name plate holders located Within the open face of the casing, type bars and name plates interchangeably and removably mounted in their respective holders, said type bars and name plates having like type characters, and a sight opening in the casing through the ield of which the name plates may be successively moved under the rotation of the printing wheel for positioning the type bars having like type characters in printing relation with respect to the platen.

3. In a printing apparatus, the combination With a casing, of a printing wheel journaled in the casing and having on its peripheral surface circumferentially spaced lines of type characters, a movable labelcarrying platen, means for moving the platen to press the label carried thereby onto one of the lines of type characters, and a bodily movable face plate located in the path of movement of the platen for parallel vertical movement, said face plate being normally out of Contact With the printing Wheel and arranged to be picked up by the platen and carried bodily toward the printing Wheel.

4f. In a printing apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a printing wheel journaled in the casing and having on its peripheral surface circumferentially spaced lines of type characters, a movable label-carrying platen, means for moving the platen to press the label carried thereby onto one of the lines of type characters, and a bodily movable face `plate located in the path of movement of the platen for parallel vertical movement and having an opening into alinement with which the lines of type characters may be successively brought under the rotation of the printing Wheel, said face plate being normally out of contact With the printing Wheel and arranged to be picked up by the platen and carried bodily toward the printing Wheel.

5. In a printing apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a printing Wheel journaled in the casing and having on its peripheral surface circumferentially spaced lines of type characters, a movable label-carrying platen, means for moving the platen to press the label carried thereby onto one of the lines of type characters, and a bodily movable face plate located in the path of movement of the platen and having means for positioning a label on the platen, said face plate being normally out of contact with the printing Wheel and arranged to be picked up by the platen and carried bodily toward the printing` Wheel.

6. In a. printing apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a printing Wheel journaled in the casing and having on its peripheral surfacel circumferentially spaced lines of type characters, a movable labelcarrying platen, means for moving the platen to press the label carried thereby onto one of the lines of type characters, and a bodily movable face plate located in the path of movement of the platen and having guides between which the platen moves for holding a label positioned thereon, said face plate being normally out of contact with the printing Wheel and arranged to be picked up by the platen and carried bodily toward the printing Wheel.

7. In a printing apparatus, the combination With a housing and a casing, the latter supported on the former, of a printing Wheel journaled in the casing and having on its peripheral surface circumferentially spaced lines of type characters, a label-carrying platen mounted in the housing for radial movement toward and from the printing Wheel, a label-feeding opening in the housing, and label-positioning means carried by the platen and partly closing said feed openlng.

8. In a printing apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a printing Wheel mounted in said casing, and a cooperating platen, said printing Wheel having on its peripheral surface type bars and having on its face radially disposed name plates, said type bars and naine plates being interchangeably and removably mounted on the respective surfaces of said Wheel and having like type characters, and an index on the casingco- 10 operating with the name plates for positioning the type bars in printing relation With respect to the platen under the rotary movement of the printing, Wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY M.k BORDEN.

Vitnesses:

EVA E. KNIG, HARRY D. KILGORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

